146 VALERIANA OFFICINALIS 



lected in autumn, that from wild plants growing on dry soil to be 

 preferred (B. P.). The root (Valerians Radix) (I. P.). VALERIANA ; 

 the root (U. S. P.). 



Collection. In England valerian is chiefly collected in the 

 autumn from cultivated plants; but some is also obtained from 

 wild plants. When cultivated, the tops are cut off in the spring 

 so as to prevent the plants from flowering and seeding, which 

 materially injures their activity ; and at Michaelmas, the rhizomes 

 or roots are dug up carefully and washed ; the remaining tops 

 are then cut close off, and the thickest part of the rhizomes slit 

 down to facilitate their drying, which is effected in a kiln ; they 

 are then packed tight, and kept very dry, to prevent their 

 spoiling. 



General Characters and Composition. The so-called valerian 

 root consists of a very short, upright, tuberculated rhizome, about 

 the thickness of the little finger, from which arise numerous 

 slender tapering rootlets, three or four inches long. These 

 rootlets have a shrivelled appearance, are very brittle, and 

 like the rhizome, have a dark yellowish-brown colour externally, 

 and are whitish within. 



Valerian root has a camphoraceous, slightly bitter, unpleasant 

 taste; and a strong, peculiar, somewhat camphoraceous and 

 terebinthinate odour, which to most persons is very disagreeable. 

 This very characteristic odour is acquired by valerian root as it 

 dries, for when in a fresh state, the odour is scarcely noticeable. 

 The cultivated valerian root is less active than the uncultivated or 

 wild sort, although from being the finer-looking it is commonly 

 preferred by pharmacists. 



When distilled with water valerian root yields a volatile oil and 

 valerianic acid, to which substances, more especially the former, it 

 owes its activity. The volatile oil is contained in the dry commercial 

 root in varying proportions of from \ to 2 per cent., the root collected 

 from plants found in a dry stony soil yielding more oil than when 

 derived from those growing in a wet fertile one. When the oil is 

 first distilled it has but very little odour, but by exposure to the air 

 it acquires the strong characteristic odour of valerian root. Oil of 



